“Still, you cannot expect help to come for free, right?”

Greed flashed in Eric’s eyes. Every word hinted that he wanted money from me.

Wendy chimed in, saying, “You have that gold watch, don’t you? Just give it to Eric.”

I shot up and stared at her.

That watch was my father’s keepsake. How dare she ask for it?

Yet Wendy looked completely justified.

“Oh, right. Didn’t Wendy leave some investment funds? She said she would let me handle them. Give me the account and password.”

I fell silent for a moment, then suddenly covered my face and broke into tears.

“What investment? I already lost everything. Even my savings went into it. I can barely afford my son’s milk powder.”

Wendy panicked. “That is impossible! She clearly said there was a 2,000,000-dollar investment!”

I let out a cold laugh. “She said that to comfort you. She didn’t want you to look down on her, so she lied about making money. Wendy is gone. As her sister, you cannot just ignore your nephew. You refuse to help, and you’re still asking for money. Are you trying to drive us to death?”

Every word I said was false, yet Wendy had no way to refute it.

The colleagues around us began looking at me with sympathy.

Her expression darkened. “No, she must have investments. She told me herself.”

I sneered and walked toward her office.

“She only left these things. I will destroy them in front of you so you can stop thinking about them.”

I opened the safe, took out her documents, contracts, and personal belongings, then tore everything apart and threw them into the trash.

Wendy instinctively tried to stop me, but she forced herself to hold back.

When I tore apart her most treasured diary, she finally snapped.

“That was her life’s work. How can you do this?”

I made my voice sound choked up. “She’s gone. What is the point of keeping them? All you people do is ask me for money and things. Then, tell me this. What did Wendy leave me?”

My voice sounded sincere, and everyone present sighed for me.

Wendy’s face turned ashen, yet she could only watch helplessly as everything was destroyed.

At home, Ken looked at me with innocent eyes.

“Dad, why does Mom want me to call her ‘Aunt’? Is she not my mom?”

Pain twisted in my chest.

Even a child could recognize her, yet she heartlessly denied it.

She even abandoned her own son for another man.

I held Ken tightly and forced back my tears.

“Sweetheart, your mom is gone. That is your aunt.”

That afternoon, I went straight to the police station and used the death certificate to complete the cancellation procedures.

At the same time, I contacted the company president and arranged for Wendy’s resignation.

The president sighed. “I heard about Wendy. It is truly unfortunate. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”

I had already planned everything.

“I want to transfer to the Calinorma branch.”

He looked surprised. “Competition there is intense, and it would be an entirely new environment. Are you sure?”

That was exactly what I wanted. I nodded firmly.

The process went smoothly. Not only was her identity canceled, but the company also issued a substantial accidental death insurance payout.

When I got home, my mother-in-law sat in the living room scrolling through her phone. She sneered the moment she saw me.

Then, she said, “Oh, our financial prodigy is back? Your wife is dead, yet you are still running around. My daughter must have been blind to marry someone like you.”

Ken was in the kitchen washing dishes.

The icy water had turned his small hands red.

My heart ached. I rushed over and picked him up.

“He is only five. How can you make him wash dishes? What kind of grandmother are you?”

She let out a cold laugh. “Raising your voice at me? Who do you think you are? You and your son are useless. You’re living in my house for free, and you still act like masters?”

I scoffed and said, “If you cannot stand us, we’ll leave. There’s no need for us to stay and bother you.”

I turned to take my son away, but she rushed forward and blocked our path.

“You wish. Eric has not been well lately. He needs supplements to recover. You have lived here for years, so you should repay some of that debt.”

Eric leaned against the couch and looked at me with a sickly expression.

“That’s right. I’ve only managed because Stacy has been taking care of me.”

Wendy gently tucked the blanket around him, then said to me in a commanding tone, “Mom is getting old, and Eric is sick. Stop causing trouble.”

A cold laugh echoed in my mind.

When I collapsed in the office from overworking, she did not even call once.

When Ken had a high fever and was hospitalized, she never came to see him.

My mother-in-law always looked down on me. She treated us with cold indifference.

Wendy focused entirely on her career and ignored the family.

So, why should I stay and serve them?

I clenched my teeth, picked up my son, and headed for the bedroom.

As I passed the living room, I heard Wendy and Eric talking.

“Darling, if you had not stepped in as Stacy, I would not know how to go on.”

Her voice softened as she said, “I’m here. I won’t leave you alone. I’ll stay with you. I convinced Mom too. Otherwise, how would she agree to let me pretend to be Stacy?”

My nails dug into my palm until blood oozed out.

So, Eric and Wendy had been involved for a long time. Even my mother-in-law was in on it.

Their relationship started earlier than I imagined, while I remained completely in the dark.

As I looked at my sleeping son, I told myself that I would endure this farce for a little longer. Soon, we would leave this place.

Sure enough, the next day, I received a transfer order to the Calinorma branch. I could report there at any time.

I immediately packed my things.

Just as I reached the door, Wendy appeared with a grim expression.

Her gaze locked onto the ticket in my hand. Her voice turned cold.

“Where are you going?”

I slipped the ticket into my pocket and shielded Ken behind me.

“That’s none of your business, Stacy.”

I emphasized her sister’s name.

Her expression froze for a moment, then softened.

“Don’t be upset. If you stay, I can help take care of Ken.”

I looked at her coldly. “No need. From today on, we’ll have nothing to do with your family.”

I grabbed my son and moved to leave.

She rushed forward, snatched my briefcase, and pulled out the ticket.

Without hesitation, she tore it into pieces and looked down at me.

“I’m doing this for your own good. You’re taking care of a child alone. You don’t know Calinorma well. You’re better off staying here. At least you will have support.”

As I watched the shredded pieces of the ticket fall, anger surged through me.

I shoved her aside. “Stop pretending. You know I am your brother-in-law, so stay away from me.”

Instead of backing off, she stepped closer. Her eyes were cold.

“You should think about this carefully. My family has supported you all these years. And you think you can just leave? Not that easy.”

I let out a mocking laugh.

In my previous life and at the hospital, I begged her to save my son, yet she refused.

When I wanted to leave, they all tried to stop me.

“Who do you think you are? My wife? My son and I will leave whenever we want. You don’t get to interfere.”

She frowned, then suddenly softened her tone.

“Are you misunderstanding something? Even if Wendy is gone, we’re still family.”

Before she could finish, I slapped her.

She staggered, and her face twisted with fury.

“You dare hit me? You are definitely not leaving today!”

She grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the room while I struggled.

At that moment, a commotion came from outside, followed by the door being pushed open.

When she saw who it was, her face turned deathly pale.